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Please Help!! Lost Compression in 1 Cylinder

I bought a used 745LI from a private party a couple of months ago with 70K miles. I have driven the car only 1500 miles since and today while driving the check engine light began flashing and the car had major misfires. Took it to my mechanic who said cylinders 4,5 & 8 were misfiring. He replaced the ignition coils, but misfires continued. He then checked the compression on the cylinders, and cylinder #8 had zero compression. The car is out of warranty.

Need to do a leakdown.

This will pinpoint the tech in the right direction. If air comes out the intake or exhaust ports then this is the place to start. This is one of the basic tests that need to be done before removing any hardware. Could be as simple as carbon buildup on the valves.

Re: Need to do a leakdown.

To get proper compression numbers yes. The vvt motors can be unplugged to get compression since they default to minimum lift. Not needed for leakdown. The valves are still closed at tdc and you should be able to pinpoint the leak by using a stethascope and plastic bags.

What year and model car is it? e65/38/32 Euro?

Re: What year and model car is it? e65/38/32 Euro?

The BMW is a 2004 745LI. Anyway, as I stated earlier, there was a broken spring when they opened the valve cover. Everything got fixed, and now the car runs like new. Dealer said it was a blown headgasket, and they recommended replacing the engine for around 10K. This repair cost $900. Go figure......

You stated earlier that it was a 735, not a 745

Hence the confusion. Sounds like the dealer didn't do their homework. Leakdown would have led to checking the leaking component. If the air was leaking into the intake then they would have known it was an intake valve problem, same with exhaust. If the air was leaking into the crankcase then the cylinder or rings would be suspect. It is a way of eliminating the mechanical components of any engine. At least the problem was resolved before the valve broke and the engine was trashed.

BMW 735 4-door vs Porsche XK8 (both 2011's)

Is there any known caveat that I should know about before buying a BMW 735 4 -door as compared to a Porche XK8. Which one is better? As to road ride, how smooth, safety, and the little things that make one car better than another? Thanks DBAW